Door locking means

ABSTRACT

A permutation lock mechanism governs retraction of door latch means by the knob on the door. Clutch mechanism is so connected between the door knob, the latch means, and a control element on the permutation lock mechanism, that rotation of the knob in one direction, from one position to another, effects retraction of the latch means to free the door for opening only after proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism, while such rotation of the door knob in exactly the same way in the event of improper decoding of the lock mechanism by an unauthorized person effects resetting of the lock mechanism.

United States Patent [1 1 Van Deudekom lnventor:

Filed:

Appl.

Canada Montreal, Canada Feb. 7, 1972 Assignee: Unican Security Systems, Ltd.,

US. Cl. 70/149, 70/220, 70/314,

Int. Cl E05b 55/06, 1305b 37/16 Field of Search 70/149, 156, 219,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1922 Smith Ormond 70/306 12/1936 Swilens 70/134 July 24, 1973 3,353,383 11/1967 Fish ..70/151R 3,566,633 3/1971 Borck ..70/252 Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney-ha Milton Jones [57] ABSTRACT A permutation lock mechanism governs retraction of door latch means by the knob on the door. Clutch mechanism is so connected between the door knob, the latch means, and a control element on the permutation lock mechanism, that rotation of the knob in one direction, from one position to another, effects retraction of the latch means to free the door for opening only after proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism, while such rotation of the door knob in exactly the same way in the event of improper decoding of the lock mechanism by an unauthorized person effects resetting of the lock mechanism.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures I PAIENIEUJULZMSIS 3. 747' 377 SHEU 1 If 4 PAIENTED M24575 SHEU 3 0F 4 DOOR LOCKING MEANS This invention relates to door locking means and has more particular reference to locking devices of the type comprising a permutation lock mechanism having decoding means that must be actuated in accordance with a predetermined combination in order to free a latch operating member for rotary motion in a latch retracting direction from a neutral position toward which it is yieldingly biased.

A permutation lock mechanism of this type is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,353,383, granted to A. M. Fish, Nov. 21, 1967, and is known in the trade as a Simplex lock. It is ordinarily equipped with five push buttons, and it is decoded to free the latch operating member for rotary motion in the latch retracting direction only after depression of a preselected number of its buttons in a predetermined sequence. If an incorrect combination of buttons is depressed by an unauthorized person, the latch operating member cannot be rotated in the latch retracting direction, and it must be rotated in the opposite direction from neutral to reset the mechanism before it can be properly decoded by an authorized person.

One of the disadvantages of the door locking means described above is that its permutation lock mechanism was subject to wear and/or damage due to the application of actuating force to its latch operating member by unauthorized persons attempting to rotate it in the latch releasing direction in an incorrectly decoded condition of the lock mechanism.

Hence, it is the purpose of this invention to provide improved door locking means of the type referred to above, in which the aforesaid disadvantage is overcome.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide door locking means comprising a permutation lock mechanism and featuring novel clutch mechanism which is operative to effect retraction of a latch member in consequence of rotary motion of an actuator member in one direction from a neutral position, provided the permutation lock mechanism has been properly decoded, and which effects resetting of the permutation lock mechanism and disconnection of the actuator from the latch member in consequence of rotary latch retracting motion of the actuator at times when the combination of the permutation lock mechanism has been improperly worked by an unauthorized person.

With these observations and objectives in mind, the manner in which the invention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the following description and the accompanying drawings, which exemplify the invention, it being understood that changes may be made in the specific apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the essentials of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of an embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view looking at the free edge of a door equipped with the locking means of this invention, portions being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the clutch mechanism taken through FIG. 2 on the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the parts in a resetting position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the declutched condition of the clutch mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is a separated perspective view of the components of the clutch mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a door having latch means comprising a latch bolt 11 which is movable from a latching position at which it projects from the free edge of the door for engagement with a keeper (not shown), to a retracted position to free the door for opening.

Coaxial door knobs l2 and 13 are mounted on opposite sides of the door adjacent to its free edge, to provide for retraction of the latch bolt. In the present case, the bolt can be retracted at any time by the inner knob 13, but it can be retracted by the outer knob 12 only after permutation lock mechanism 14 on the door has been properly decoded.

The permutation lock mechanism is mounted on the exterior of the door in a housing 15 having a front wall 16 through which a number of depressible indexing or decoding buttons 17 project to be accessible at the outer side of the door. It is like the Simplex lock mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,383 granted to A. M. Fish, Nov. 21, 1967, in that it has a control element in the form of a shaft 18 which is rotatable in one direction from a neutral position only after depression of the correct number of push buttons in the proper sequence (to effect decoding of the permutation lock mechanism) and which is rotatable in the opposite direction from neutral to effect resetting of the lock mechanism (scrambling of its combination). In the permutation lock mechanism of the patent, however, the control shaft projected through the front wall of the housing to have a so-called latch operating lever attached to its outer end, for retracting the latch bolt after proper decoding of the lock mechanism and for resetting the combination at any time.

The control shaft 18 of the lock mechanism 14 herein employed has no latch operating lever on it, since it terminates short of the front wall 16 of the housing. The outside knob 12, however, takes the place of the latch operating lever.

The outer knob 12 is journalled for rotation on an axis normal to the plane of the front wall 16 of the lock housing, beneath the permutation lock mechanism, in a bearing 20 carried by the housing. A lever 21 inside the housing and fixed to the hub of the knob to rotate therewith has an arm 22 which projects radially from the hub into the space between a pair of rotation stops on the housing, only one of which is shown at 23, to limit the knob to rotary motion through an arc of The knob is biased to one of its limits of motion by means ofa torsion spring 25 acting upon the lever arm 22. In a manner to be later described, rotation of the knob 90 in the clockwise direction, as viewed from the outside of the door, effects retraction of the latch bolt if the permutation lock mechanism has been properly decoded.

As stated, the control shaft 18 can be rotated in one direction from its neutral position to effect resetting of the lock mechanism, or what can be referred to as scrambling of the combination; but in order to retract the latch bolt, it must be free to rotate in the opposite direction from neutral. It was because of this last mentioned characteristic of the permutation lock mechanism disclosed in the aforesaid Fish patent that unauthorized persons attempting to decode the mechanism by trial and error methods were apt to inflict damage on the mechanism or at least cause undue wear on its parts by the exertion of excessive torsional force on the control shaft through the lever on its outer end.

According to this invention, a novel clutch device '27 prevents application of such torsional forces to the control shaft 18 as might cause damage to the mechanism or undue wear on its components, and it also enables the knob to perform the same functions as the latch operating lever of the lock mechanism disclosed in the aforesaid Fish US. Pat. No. 3,353,383.

The clutch device 27, as seen best in FIGS. 3 and 6, comprises a casing 28 having a cylindrical side wall 29, and opposite substantially flat walls 30 and 31 closing its front and rear ends, respectively. The rear wall 31 is shown as being formed integrally with the side wall. Screws such as seen at 32, pass through aligned holes in overlying portions of a flange 33 on the side wall and the front casing wall 30, and thread into bosses 34 on the housing 16 to secure the clutch device in place in the latter, with the side wall 29 in coaxial relation to the outer knob 12.

Housed within the clutch case 28 are three clutch discs, namely a reset disc 36, a latch operating disc 37, and a knob disc 38 coaxial with and confined between the other two discs. The discs 37 and 36 are rotatably and axially slidably seated on a common locating spindle 39 which projects forwardly through the front casing wall 30 and into the hub on the outer knob 12, for connection with an optional key override mechanism in the knob, when one is installed therein. The reset disc 36 has a large central hole to slidably receive an inner hub portion 40 on the knob disc 38.

The hub portion 40 on the knob disc is held in axial abutting engagement with the inner face of the front casing wall 30 by means of a coiled expansion spring 41 confined between the rear wall 31 of the casing and the latch operating disc 37. The disc 38 also has a smaller diameter outer hub portion 42 which projects forwardly from the inner hub portion 40 so as to be rotatably supported in a bearing 43 carried by the front wall 30 of the casing. The rear end'portion of a tube 44 which is drivingly connected with the outer knob 12 in any suitably way, also projects into the bearing 43 to receive support therefrom. The tube 44 encircles the spindle 39, and it has jaws 45 on its rear to interengage with cooperating jaws 46 on the hub portion 12 of the knob disc to provide a rotation transmitting connection between the outer knob 12 and the knob disc 38. Hence, the knob disc 38 can be considered as an actuator in the same sense as the knob 12, and in the following description of the clutch mechanism, it will be understood that rotation of the actuator or knob disc 38 is always that which is produced by the knob 12.

The latch operating disc 37 has a substantially cylindrical rim 48 which projects forwardly from its periphery and into abutting engagement with the rear of the reset disc 36. Accordingly, the spring 41 acts through the rim 48 on the latch operating disc to urge the reset disc 36 forwardly to an inoperative position spaced a short distance axially forwardly of the knob disc 38. In its operative position, the reset disc is held spaced from the front wall 30 of the clutch case by means of a spiral expansion spring 50 which tends to move the reset disc rearwardly but which is normally overcome by the force of the spring 41.

Also in this inoperative position of the reset disc 36, lugs 52 thereon project forwardly therefrom to engage in holes 53 in the front wall 30 of the clutch case to prevent rotary motion of the disc; while drive lugs 54 that project rearwardly from the reset disc are held disengaged from notches 55 in the front face of the knob disc. The reset disc has an operative position seen in FIG. 5, displaced axially rearwardly from its inoperative position and at which its lugs 52 are disengaged from the front wall of the casing and its lugs 54 are engaged in the notches 55 of the knob disc to establish a rotation transmitting connection between those discs.

With the components of the clutch in their positions seen in FIG. 3, the latch operating disc 37 is in its operative position at which it translates rotation of the knob disc 38 (by knob 12) into retracting motion of the latch bolt 11. This is possible by reason of the fact that in its forward position to which it is held by spring 41, the latch operating disc 37 is rotatably connected to the knob disc through bevelled surfaces 57 on the radially disposed edges of diametrically opposite abutments 58 on the rear of the knob disc and cooperating bevelled surfaces 59 on the radial edges of similar abutments 60 formed on the forward face of the latch operating disc 37 and circumferentially inter-leaved with the abutments 58 on the knob disc.

In this forward position of the latch operating disc, lugs 61 on its rear are held disengaged from holes 62 in the rear wall 31 of the clutch case. It will also be noted that the latch operating disc 37 has an axially elongated hub 64 which projects rearwardly therefrom through a central hole in the rear wall of the clutch case, beyond the rear end of the spindle 39, to rotatably receive the forward end portion of a latch actuating shaft 65. A pin 66 projects radially from opposite sides of the shaft and into notches 67 in the hub 64, to establish a driving connection between the latch operating disc 37 and the latch actuating shaft capable of accommodating rotation of the shaft relative to the latch operating disc through an arc of 90. Such relative rotation of these parts is necessary at times when the spindle 39 is drivingly connected to a key override mechanism in the outer knob 12, as for example a pin tumbler lock which has an operating stroke of 180. In that case, the forward end of the latch actuating shaft 65 is half cut away to provide a flat drive abutment 69 lying in a plane containing the shaft axis. A drive lug 70 on the rear portion of the-spindle 39 is then so located with respect to the abutment 69 as to enable the spindle to rotate in the clockwise direction (as viewed from the knob 12) before it comes into driving relation with the shaft abutment 69 and rotates the latter the next 90 relative to the latch operating disc 37.

The latch actuating shaft 65 has been shown as provided with a square cross section rear portion 71, which can be drivingly connected with the latch mechanism in a well known manner.

From the description thus far, it will be seen that the two outer discs 36 and 37 are constrained to move axially in unison because of the action-of the springs 41 and S0 thereon. Spring 41 urges the latch operating disc forwardly, while spring 50 urges the reset disc 36 rearwardly and causes it to follow the movements of .the latch operating disc.

According to this invention, when the two outer clutch discs 36 and 37 are in their forward positions seen in FIG. 3, the latch operating disc can be rotated by the knob disc to effect retraction of the latch bolt 11. However, the same bevelled edges 57 and 59 of the abutments through which rotation is transmitted from the knob disc to the latch operating disc also provide cooperating cam surfaces which are rendered effective if there is any interference with rotary motion of the latch operating disc with the knob disc. For example, rotary latch retracting motion of the knob disc relative to the latch operating disc will then cause the latter disc to be cammed rearwardly to its inoperative position at which its rotation transmitting connection with the knob disc is disrupted, and the latch operating disc is locked to the rear wall 31 of the clutch case by the engagement of its lugs 61 in the holes 62 in the rear wall 31 of the clutch case.

When the latch operating disc 37 is thus cammed rearwardly to its inoperative position (FIG. 5), the reset disc is propelled rearwardly along with it, by its spring 50, to the operative position thereof at which it is drivingly connected to the knob disc to rotate therewith, by reason of the engagement of its lugs 54 in the notches 55 of the knob disc. This rearward motion of the reset disc, of course, carries its forwardly projecting lugs out of the holes 53 in the front wall of its clutch case to permit the reset disc to rotate with the knob disc.

It is an outstanding feature of this invention that rotary latch retracting motion of the knob disc is translated into retraction of the latch bolt when the two outer clutch discs 36 and 37 are in their forward positions seen in FIG. 3, while the same rotary latch retracting motion of the knob disc is translated into resetting motion of the control shaft 18 when the two discs 36 and 37 are in their rearward positions seen in FIG. 5, at which the knob disc is no longer drivingly connected to the latch operating disc and is instead drivingly con nected to the reset disc.

For this purpose, the two outer discs 36 and 37 are operably connected with the control shaft 18 by linkage generally indicated by the numeral 73. The reset disc 36 has an arm 74 which normally projects radially upwardly therefrom through a circumferential cutout 75 in the clutch case to the exterior thereof. Similarly the latch operating disc 37 has an arm 76 which normally projects radially horizontally therefrom through a circumferential cutout 77 in the clutch case. Links 78 and 79 are pivotally connected as at 80 with the reset disc 36 and the latch operating disc 37, respectively. The link 78 normally extends substantially horizontally outwardly to one side of its arm 74, while the link 79 normally extends substantially vertically upwardly from its arm 76.

The outer ends of the links 78 and 79 are pivotally joined to one another and to one end ofa third link 81, as at 82. The link 81 normally extends upwardly from its pivot 82 and is pivotally connected as at 83 with the outer end of an arm 84 which has its inner end fixed to the control shaft 18, as by being keyed thereto. The arm 84 normally extends substantially horizontally outwardly from the control shaft in the same direction as the link 78, on the reset disc and the arm 76 on the latch operating disc.

It is significant to note that the pivotal connections 80, 82 and 83 are all made with slightly undersize pivot pins so as to accommodate axial movement of the reset and latch operating discs 36 and 37 between their operative and inoperative positions without binding.

In the normal door locked condition of the mechanism, the linkage 73 assumes the solid line position thereof seen in FIG. 2.

If the permutation lock mechanism is then properly decoded, the control shaft 18 will be released for rotation in the counterclockwise direction, which rotation is imparted thereto by the linkage 73 when the outer knob 12 is rotated in the latch retracting direction (counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 4). The linkage will then be moved to the broken line position seen in FIG. 2.

If an erroneous or no combination is entered in the permutation lock mechanism, the outer knob 12 will still be free to turn in the latch releasing direction, but the control shaft 18 will then inhibit rotary motion of the latch operating disc 37 with the knob disc 38. The driving connection between discs 37 and 38 will then be disrupted, and the two outer discs 36 and 37 will be moved axially rearwardly by the cam surfaces 57 and 59 on the discs 37 and 38, to lock the latch operating disc to the rear wall 31 of the clutch case and to drivingly connect thr reset disc 36 with the outer knob 12 through the knob disc 38. As a result, rotary motion of the outer knob 12 in the latch releasing direction will now transmit rotation to the reset disc 36 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, to actuate the linkage 73 to its position seen in FIG. 4. As the linkage moves to its FIG. 4 position, it effects rotation of the control shaft in the reset (clockwise) direction. Such rotation of the control shaft 18 resets the lock mechanism, which is to say that it scrambles the combination.

It is important to note, however, that no strain can be placed on the permutation lock mechanism through its control shaft by rotating the outer knob 12 in the latch retracting direction in the absence of any decoding of the lock mechanism or of improper decoding thereof by unauthorized persons. If the control shaft 18 is not released for rotation in consequence of proper decoding of the lock mechanism, it will accordingly inhibit rotary motion of the latch operating disc 37 with the outer knob 12 and knob disc 38. The cam surfaces 57 and 59 immediately become effective to disrupt the rotation transmitting connection between the knob disc 38 and the latch operating disc 37 as soon as rotation of the latter with the knob disc is interfered with. The cam surfaces 57 and 59 thus effectively serve to protect the mechanism against undue wear and/or damage which would otherwise result from the application of excessive torsional forces to the outer knob 12 by unauthorized persons.

From the foregoing description, together with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides improved door locking means which features permutation lock mechanism and a novel clutch device to protect the latter against damage by unauthorized persons attempting to forcibly retract the latch bolt on the door having the locking means installed thereon.

I claim:

1. Locking means for doors having a latch element and comprising a permutation lock mechanism with a control element that is released for motion in one direction out of a normal position only after proper decoding of the lock mechanism, characterized by:

A. a first rotatable clutch member for connection with the latch element to effect retracting motion thereof as a consequence of rotation of said clutch member in one direction from one position to an other;

B. a second rotatable clutch member for transmitting such latch retracting rotation to said first clutch member;

C. means providing a rotation transmitting connection between said clutch members which is disruptable upon movement of one of said members to an inactive position a predetermined distance in one direction along its axis of rotation, relative to the other clutch member;

D. means connecting the control element with said first clutch member whereby rotary latch retracting motion of the latter is interfered with except when the permutation lock mechanism has been properly decoded;

E. and cooperating means on said clutch members rendered effective by such interference with latch retracting rotation of the first clutch member to move said one clutch member relative to the other to its said inactive position.

2. The door locking means of claim 1, wherein said means providing the rotation transmitting connection between the clutch members comprises said cooperating means.

3. The door locking means of claim 1, wherein said means providing the rotation transmitting connection between the clutch members comprises interengaging surfaces which also provide cam means by which said one clutch member can be moved the distance necessary to disrupt the motion transmitting connection between said members.

4. The door locking means of claim 1, wherein the control element is movable in the opposite direction out of its normal position to effect resetting of the permutation lock mechanism, and further characterized by:

A. a third rotatable clutch member which is movable between active and normally inactive positions;

B. means constraining said third clutch member to move to said active position thereof in consequence of movement of said one clutch member to its inactive position;

C. means effective in said active position of the third clutch member to connect it to the second clutch member for rotation therewith;

D. and means connecting said third clutch member with the control element so that the latter will be moved out of neutral and in the direction to reset the lock mechanism in said active position of the third clutch member in consequence of latch releasing rotation of the second clutch member.

5. The door locking means of claim 4, further characterized by:

A. said first clutch member being said one clutch member;

B. and means rendered operative in the inactive position of each of said first and third clutch members to hold the same against rotary motion.

6. Door locking means having a permutation lock mechanism with a control element which is movable in one direction from a neutral position to effect resetting of the mechanism and which is released for movement in the other direction from neutral only after proper decoding of the mechansim, characterized by:

A. a latch actuating member which is rotatable in one direction to effect retraction of a latch;

B. means connecting the control element with the latch actuating member so that rotation of the latter in the latch retracting direction is inhibited ex cept upon proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism;

C. actuator means rotatable from one position to another;

D. means for translating such rotation of the actuator means into rotation of the latch actuating member in the latch retracting direction;

E. and means rendered operative in consequence of interference with rotation of the latch actuating member by its connection with the control element, to translate said rotation of the actuator means into motion of the control element in the resetting direction.

7. The door loeking means of claim 6, wherein said actuator means comprises a door knob, and a clutch disc which is constrained to rotate with the knob and has said rotation transmitting connection with the latch actuating member.

8. Door locking means having an actuator rotatable in a latch releasing direction from one position to another to effect retraction of a latch member, and having a permutation lock mechanism with a control element which is movable in one direction from neutral to effect resetting of the mechanism and which can be moved in the opposite direction from neutral only after proper decoding of the lock mechanism, characterized by:

A. a clutch member which is constrained to rotate with the actuator;

B. a pair of clutch discs at axially opposite sides of said clutch member and movable in unison in opposite axial directions relative thereto so as to bring first one and then the other of said discs into an active position at which it is rotatively connected with said clutch member;

C. one of said discs being in a normally active position rotatively connected with the clutch member and having means thereon effective to translate latch retracting rotation of said clutch member into retraction of the latch;

D. means connecting the control element with said one disc whereby such rotation of the latter is inhibited except upon proper decoding of the perm utation lock mechanism;

E. and means rendered effective upon movement of the other of said pair of discs to its active position to translate latch retracting rotation of the clutch member into motion of the control element in the lock resetting direction.

9. The door locking means of claim 8, further characterized by means rendered effective in consequence of latch retracting rotation of said clutch member at times when the control element inhibits rotation of said one clutch disc, to produce axial motion of said pair of discs in the direction to bring the other of said pair of discs position of each of said discs to hold the same against rotary motion.

11. Door locking means having a permutation lock mechanism to govern retraction of latch means by a rotatable actuator member, and a control element on the permutation lock mechanism releaseable for motion in one direction out of neutral position only after proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism and movable in the opposite direction from neutral at other times to effect resetting of the permutationlock mechanism, characterized by:

A. a first rotatable clutch member through which rotation of the actuator member in one direction from one position to another effects retraction of the latch element;

B. said members being relatively movable axially between inactive and normally active positions;

C. means effective only in the active position of said members to establish a rotation transmitting connection therebetween;

D. means connecting the control element with said clutch member so that rotation thereof is interfered with except upon proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism;

E. cooperating means on said members rendered effective at times when rotation of the clutch member is thus interfered with for moving said members to their said inactive position;

F. a second clutch element connected with the control element;

G. and means providing a driving connection between the second clutch element and the actuator member effective only in said inactive position of said members to translate said latch releasing rotation of the actuator member into motion of the control element in said opposite direction to effect resetting of the permutation lock mechanism. 

1. Locking means for doors having a latch element and comprising a permutation lock mechanism with a control element that is released for motion in one direction out of a normal position only after proper decoding of the lock mechanism, characterized by: A. a first rotatable clutch member for connection with the latch element to effect retracting motion thereof as a consequence of rotation of said clutch member in one direction from one position to another; B. a second rotatable clutch member for transmitting such latch retracting rotation to said first clutch member; C. means providing a rotation transmitting connection between said clutch members which is disruptable upon movement of one of said members to an inactive position a predetermined distance in one direction along its axis of rotation, relative to the other clutch member; D. means connecting the control element with said first clutch member whereby rotary latch retracting motion of the latter is interfered with except when the permutation lock mechanism has been properly decoded; E. and cooperating means on said clutch members rendered effective by such interference with latch retracting rotation of the first clutch member to move said one clutch member relative to the other to its said inactive position.
 2. The door locking means of claim 1, wherein said means providing the rotation transmitting connection between the clutch members comprises said cooperating means.
 3. The door locking means of claim 1, wherein said means providing the rotation transmitting connection between the clutch members comprises interengaging surfaces which also provide cam means by which said one clutch member can be moved the distance necessary to disrupt the motion transmitting connection between said members.
 4. The door locking means of claim 1, wherein the control element is movable in the opposite direction out of its normal position to effect resetting of the permutation lock mechanism, and further characterized by: A. a third rotatable clutch member which is movable between active and normally inactive positions; B. means constraining said third clutch member to move to said active position thereof in consequence of movement of said one clutch member to its inactive position; C. means effective in said active position of the third clutch member to connect it to the second clutch member for rotation therewith; D. and means connecting said third clutch member with the control element so that the latter will be moved out of neutral and in the direction to reset the lock mechanism in said active position of the third clutch member in consequence of latch releasing rotation of the second clutch member.
 5. The door locking means of claim 4, further characterized by: A. said first clutch member being said one clutch member; B. and means rendered operative in the inactive position of each of said first and third clutch members to hold the same against rotary motion.
 6. Door locking means having a permutation lock mechanism with a control element which is movable in one direction from a neutral position to effect resetting of the mechanism and which is released for movement in the other direction from neutral only after proper decoding of the mechansim, characterized by: A. a latch actuating member which is rotatable in one direction to effect retraction of a latch; B. means connecting the control element with the latch actuating member so that rotation of the latter in the latch retracting direction is inhibited except upon proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism; C. actuator means rotatable from one position to another; D. means for translating such rotation of the actuator means into rotation of the latch actuating member in the latch retracting direction; E. and means rendered operative in consequence of interference with rotation of the latch actuating member by its connection with the control element, to translate said rotation of the actuator means into motion of the control element in the resetting direction.
 7. The door locking means of claim 6, wherein said actuator means comprises a door knob, and a clutch disc which is constrained to rotate with the knob and has said rotation transmitting connection with the latch actuating member.
 8. Door locking means having an actuator rotatable in a latch releasing direction from one position to another to effect retraction of a latch member, and having a permutation lock mechanism with a control element which is movable in one direction from neutral to effect resetting of the mechanism and which can be moved in the opposite direction from neutral only after proper decoding of the lock mechanism, characterized by: A. a clutch member which is constrained to rotate with the actuator; B. a pair of clutch discs at axially opposite sides of said clutch member and movable in unison in opposite axial directions relative thereto so as to bring first one and then the other of said discs into an active position at which it is rotatively connected with said clutch member; C. one of said discs being in a normally active position rotatively connected with the clutch member and having means thereon effective to translate latch retracting rotation of said clutch member into retraction of the latch; D. means connecting the control element with said one disc whereby such rotation of the latter is inhibited except upon proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism; E. and means rendered effective upon movement of the other of said pair of discs to its active position to translate latch retracting rotation of the clutch member into motion of the control element in the lock resetting direction.
 9. The door locking means of claim 8, further characterized by means rendered effective in consequence of latch retracting rotation of said clutch member at times when the control element inhibits rotation of said one clutch disc, to produce axial motion of said pair of discs in the direction to bring the other of said pair of discs to its active position.
 10. The door locking means of claim 9, further characterized by means rendeRed effective in the inactive position of each of said discs to hold the same against rotary motion.
 11. Door locking means having a permutation lock mechanism to govern retraction of latch means by a rotatable actuator member, and a control element on the permutation lock mechanism releaseable for motion in one direction out of neutral position only after proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism and movable in the opposite direction from neutral at other times to effect resetting of the permutation lock mechanism, characterized by: A. a first rotatable clutch member through which rotation of the actuator member in one direction from one position to another effects retraction of the latch element; B. said members being relatively movable axially between inactive and normally active positions; C. means effective only in the active position of said members to establish a rotation transmitting connection therebetween; D. means connecting the control element with said clutch member so that rotation thereof is interfered with except upon proper decoding of the permutation lock mechanism; E. cooperating means on said members rendered effective at times when rotation of the clutch member is thus interfered with for moving said members to their said inactive position; F. a second clutch element connected with the control element; G. and means providing a driving connection between the second clutch element and the actuator member effective only in said inactive position of said members to translate said latch releasing rotation of the actuator member into motion of the control element in said opposite direction to effect resetting of the permutation lock mechanism. 